Non-composite insulated concrete sandwich panels

ABSTRACT

A non-composite insulated concrete sandwich panel system, and specifically a system for sandwiching together a layer of concrete with a rigid insulation sheet tied between the layers, that reduces or eliminates separation or cracking in the rigid insulation sheet, attributable to undesirable adhesion of the layer of concrete to the rigid insulation sheet. A slip-faced insulation panel is formed from an insulation panel, with a lower slip-sheet adhered to the lower face and an upper slip sheet adhered to the upper face. The slip-faced insulation panel is placed between the lower concrete layer and the upper concrete layer, the lower slip-sheet slip-able upon the lower concrete layer, and the upper slip-sheet slip-able on the upper concrete layer.

TECHNICAL FIELD

An insulated concrete sandwich panel system for use in a tilt-up wall, and specifically a system for sandwiching a rigid insulation panel within two layers of concrete.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Insulated concrete panel systems are commonly employed in building structures requiring higher insulation and a heat transfer resistance or an “R-value,” which conventional concrete can provide only with additional insulating materials. Due to the expense and unwieldy size of large, composite wall panels, “tilt-up” concrete building wall-panels are often used. Tilt-up wall-panels are poured into forms on a ground surface, allowed to cure and then tilted-up and into position around the building. Often, insulating the tilt-up wall-panels is desired, especially in climate controlled warehouses and storage facilities, and in storage buildings for refrigerated, perishable goods. Concrete panels can be insulated from the interior with a rigid insulation panel, typically formed of a foam sheeting, often placed to the interior of the concrete wall.

In sandwich types of tilt-up wall constructions, the concrete with insulation walls are often constructed on-site, rather than built as a unit and shipped to the construction site. However, with sandwiching together layers of concrete with a rigid insulation sheet, shrinkage in the curing process and later thermal expansions or contractions in the concrete can cause rippling and cracking of the interior insulation panel or sheet. A system is needed for sandwiching together layers of concrete with a rigid sheet of insulation that reduces eventual rippling and cracking of the interior insulation sheet, attributable to adhesion of the layer of concrete with the rigid insulation sheet.

The following is a disclosure of the present invention that will be understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partially sectioned perspective view of a non-composite insulated concrete sandwich panel system, according to an embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a sectioned side view of a non-composite insulated concrete sandwich panel system, according to an embodiment of the invention.

Reference characters included in the above drawings indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, as discussed herein. The description herein illustrates one preferred embodiment of the invention, in one form, and the description herein is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. It should be understood that the above listed figures are not necessarily to scale and that the embodiments are sometimes illustrated by fragmentary views, graphic symbols, diagrammatic or schematic representations, and phantom lines. Details that are not necessary for an understanding of the present invention by one skilled in the technology of the invention, or render other details difficult to perceive, may have been omitted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

The invention provides a system for an insulated concrete sandwich panel, and specifically a system for sandwiching layers of concrete on both sides of a rigid insulation panel as a “non-composite” unit, in that the layers of concrete are able to expand and contract independently of the rigid insulation.

A preferred embodiment of a non-composite insulated concrete sandwich panel system 10 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The non-composite insulated concrete sandwich panel system may be referred to herein simply as the “sandwich panel.” Conventionally, concrete panels are fabricated on-site, after being ‘poured’ on a ground surface, cured and then ‘tilted-up’ into place.

As shown in FIG. 1, the sandwich panel 10 includes a lower concrete layer 12, at a base or exterior 13 of the sandwich panel. The lower concrete layer is a conventional structural concrete mixture, as well known for use in tilt-up concrete panel construction. Preferably, the lower concrete layer includes a reinforcement mesh or re-bar 14, as is also well known in the industry and to those skilled in tilt-up concrete panel fabrication and construction. Typically, the lower concrete layer is four to six inches in thickness, or as otherwise specified for the desired sandwich panel.

After pouring the lower concrete layer 12 on a ground surface 11, shown in FIG. 2, a slip-faced insulation panel 18 is placed upon the lower concrete layer, preferably within approximately fifteen to thirty minutes after the concrete layer is poured and subsequently ‘screeded,’ providing a smooth and level contact surface for the slip-faced insulation panel.

The terms “approximately” or “approximate” are employed herein throughout, including this detailed description and the attached claims, with the understanding that the terms denote a level of exactness as typical for the skill and precision in the generally applicable field of technology.

The slip-faced insulation panel 18 is placed onto and attached to the lower concrete layer 12 with a tie 20, as shown in FIG. 1. Most preferably, each tie penetrates through the slip-faced insulation panel downward, and into the lower concrete layer 12, while protruding upward and extending from the slip-faced insulation panel, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. An upper concrete layer 24 is then poured over the slip-faced insulation panel, covering the protruding ties. The upper concrete layer is typically thicker in depth than the lower concrete layer, but can be as thin as approximately two inches and up to approximately eight to ten inches in thickness, or as otherwise specified for the desired insulated sandwich panel system 10. Like the lower concrete layer 12, the upper concrete layer is a conventional structural concrete mixture, as well known for use in tilt-up concrete panel construction. Preferably, as shown in FIG. 2, the upper concrete layer also includes a reinforcement mesh or ‘re-bar’ 14, the use of which is well known in the industry and to those skilled in tilt-up concrete panel fabrication and construction.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the slip-faced insulation panel 18 in the non-composite insulated concrete sandwich panel system 10 of the present invention includes a lower slip-sheet 26, and an upper slip-sheet 27 applied to both sides of an insulation panel 25. The lower slip sheet and the upper slip sheet are preferably made from a film material. The lower slip-sheet adheres to a lower side 28 of the insulation panel, and the upper slip-sheet adheres to an upper side 29 of the insulation panel.

The thickness and thermal efficiency of the insulation panel 25 depends on the desired end-use specifications needed for the finished sandwich panel 10. The slip-faced insulation pane 118 is preferably a rigid material, typically formed of a polystyrene, polyurethane or similarly insulating, closed-cell expanded type of foam material, in panel or sheet form, having a thickness typically in the range of approximately 1 to 12 inches, and a preferred thickness between 2 and 4 inches.

The adhesion of the lower slip-sheet 26 to the lower side 28 of the insulation panel 25 and the adhesion of the upper slip-sheet 27 to the upper side 29 of the insulation panel may be a glue, a thermal fusion, or by shrink-fitting the film material to the insulation panel. Preferably, the film material is a plastic coating, such as vinyl, polypropylene, or alternatively a metal foil material. Most preferably the film material is a polyethylene film having a thickness of approximately 1 mm. Alternatively, the film material may be sprayed, dipped or painted onto the insulation panel. Any thin film-like material that provides the slip properties required for the purposes of the present invention could be employed as the film material for the outer and inner slip-sheets to form the slip-faced insulation panel 18.

The upper slip-sheet 27 and the lower slip-sheet 26 reduce eventual cracking, puckering and curling of the slip-faced insulation panel 18, typically attributable to an adhesion of the lower concrete layer 12 and the upper concrete layer 24 to the slip-faced insulation panel. With the slip-sheets placed between the concrete and insulation, the rigid insulation panel 25 can slip or float independently of the thermal shrinking and expansion of the concrete layers. The lower slip-sheet is free to slip upon the lower concrete layer, and the upper slip-sheet is free to slip upon the upper concrete layer. This unique release of the slip-faced insulation panel from the concrete layers results in the non-composite insulated concrete sandwich panel system 10 of the present invention, which reduces or eliminate cracking of the rigid insulation sheet or panel, that is typically attributable to adhesion of the layer of concrete to the rigid insulation panel. Instead, the lower slip-sheet of the slip-faced insulation panel is ‘slip-able’ upon the lower concrete layer, and the upper slip-sheet of the slip-faced insulation panel is ‘slip-able’ on the upper concrete layer.

After the slip-faced insulation panel 18 is placed upon the lower concrete layer, the upper concrete layer 12 can be poured onto the slip-faced insulation panel and allowed to cure. The entire insulated sandwich panel system 10, with the unique non-composited features of the present invention, is now ready to be tilted up and set into place just as a conventional composite tilt-up panel, as is well known to those persons knowledgeable or skilled in the installation of tilt-up panels and related structural systems.

In compliance with the statutes, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features and process steps. While this invention is susceptible to embodiments in different forms, the specification illustrates preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention, and the disclosure is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiments described. Those with ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that other embodiments and variations of the invention are possible, which employ the same inventive concepts as described above. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited except by the following claims, as appropriately interpreted in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents. 

1. A method for forming an insulated concrete sandwich panel, including the steps of: a) pouring a lower concrete layer on a ground surface; b) covering an insulation panel with a lower slip-sheet and an upper slip sheet to form a slip-faced insulation panel, the lower slip-sheet adhered to a lower face of the insulation panel and the upper slip-sheet adhered to an upper face of the insulation panel, the lower slip-sheet selected to freely slip upon the lower concrete layer, and the upper slip-sheet selected to freely slip upon an upper concrete layer; b) placing the slip-faced insulation panel upon the lower concrete layer; c) attaching the slip-faced insulation panel to the lower concrete layer with a tie, the tie penetrating through the slip-faced insulation panel, the tie extending into the lower concrete layer below the slip-faced insulation panel, and the tie protruding above the slip-faced insulation panel; d) pouring the upper concrete layer on the upper slip-sheet of the slip-faced insulation panel; and e) curing the lower concrete layer and the inner concrete layer to form the insulated concrete sandwich panel, the lower slip-sheet free to slip upon the lower concrete layer, and the upper slip-sheet free to slip upon the upper concrete layer.
 2. The method for forming an insulated concrete sandwich panel of claim 1 additionally including the step of: f) tilting the insulated concrete sandwich panel up and off of the ground surface.
 3. (canceled)
 4. An insulated concrete sandwich panel comprising: a slip-faced insulation panel formed from an insulation panel, the insulation panel having a lower face and an upper face, and the slip-faced insulation panel having a lower slip-sheet adhered to the lower face and an upper slip sheet adhered to the upper face; a lower concrete layer and an upper concrete layer; the slip-faced insulation panel placed between the lower concrete layer and the upper concrete layer; the slip-faced insulation panel tied to the outer concrete layer, and the slip-faced insulation panel tied to the upper concrete layer; and the lower slip-sheet of the slip-faced insulation panel formed from a slip-able material and slip-able upon the lower concrete layer, and the upper slip-sheet of the slip-faced insulation panel formed from a slip-able material and slip-able on the upper concrete layer.
 5. The insulated concrete sandwich panel of claim 4, wherein: a tie penetrates through the slip-faced insulation panel, the tie extends into the lower concrete layer, and the tie extends into the upper concrete layer.
 6. (canceled)
 7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of: f) selecting the lower slip-sheet to include a metal foil material to freely slip upon the lower concrete layer; and g) selecting the upper slip-sheet to include a metal foil material to freely slip upon the upper concrete layer.
 8. The insulated concrete sandwich panel of claim 4, wherein: the lower slip-sheet includes a metal foil material to freely slip upon the lower concrete layer; and the upper slip-sheet includes a metal foil material to freely slip upon the upper concrete layer. 